I know that many veterans are deeply concerned about concurrent receipt of retirement and disability benefits.  For many years, I have joined Senator Harry Reid in fighting to ensure that our veterans receive the benefits that they have earned.  I am pleased to let you know that there has been some progress on this issue.

The Senate recently passed the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 1585, for fiscal year 2008.  It contains two important provisions regarding concurrent receipt for military retirees. The first will permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both their military retirement pay and full disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The second provision will ensure that service members forced into medical retirement because of combat injuries before attaining twenty years of service are eligible to receive combat-related disability and retirement benefits, proportional to their length of service.

The Senate and House are now reconciling their two versions of the Defense Authorization bill.  You can count on me to continue to work to see that these provisions finally become law and to ensure that our veterans receive all the benefits they are entitled to.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator